title: The effect of 13-cis-retinoic acid chemoprevention on human serum retinol levels.
abstract: This study of the effect of 13-cis-retinoic acid on serum levels of retinol was a laboratory correlate of a clinical chemoprevention trial in asymptomatic chronic smokers. All study participants had squamous metaplasia of the bronchial epithelium and received 6 months' treatment of either 13-cis-retinoic acid (1 mg/kg/day) or placebo. Baseline serum retinol levels were compared with levels taken immediately post-treatment. The placebo group (N = 38) had little change, whereas the 13-cis-retinoic acid group, (N = 35) experienced a decline in retinol levels (p = 0.06). Within the 13-cis-retinoic acid group, women's (N = 13) mean serum retinol levels dropped significantly, from 531 +/- 191 ng/ml (baseline) to 436 +/- 115 ng/ml (post-treatment) (p = 0.03); men's (N = 22) levels virtually did not change (p = 0.43). Therefore, the borderline-significant overall decline in the 13-cis-retinoic acid group was due entirely to the decline among women subjects. The etiology of this effect is unknown. Our results suggest that chronic 13-cis-retinoic acid administration may lead to a clinically significant reduction in serum retinol levels in females. This finding may have implications for currently ongoing chemoprevention trials that administer 13-cis-retinoic acid for 3 years.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Cancer Prevention, University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston 77030, USA.
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Lippman
authors.forename: S E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Benner
authors.forename: H A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Fritsche
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: W K
authors.initials: WK
authors.lastname: Hong
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016588:Anticarcinogenic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001980:Bronchi / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015474:Isotretinoin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008297:Male; D008679:Metaplasia; D008875:Middle Aged; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D016588:Anticarcinogenic Agents; D014801:Vitamin A; D015474:Isotretinoin